once upon a time in love
by thelittlefanpire
Summary: Once upon a time, in a magical kingdom far, far away, there lived a knight whose land was being taken away by the Lady of Polis. The knight cuts a deal with the Lady and sets out to rescue a princess to be the Lady's bride. Rescuing the princess may be a small feat compared to the dark secret she's hiding and falling accidentally in love with the princess is not part of the deal.


**once upon a time in love**

_Bellarke Secret Valentines 2k19_

Once upon a time, there was a knight who was more of a beast than he was a man. He lived on the cliffs by the sea. It was far enough away from any kingdoms or villages that he was never bothered. He went to sleep with the lull of crashing waves and rose to the sounds of seagulls cawing.

There were hidden caves among these cliffs where the knight could keep his secrets. An ever-present fog collected above the bluffs hiding the sea from view and the waves crashed loudly against the rocks muting the sounds from beyond.

The knight didn't live completely alone, though. His mother had died the winter before leaving him to care for his younger sister. She had a wild spirit and a fire in her chest that was hard to tame.

They used the cliffs and the caves as their playground. He taught her to dive and to fight. To live off the land and to love with her whole fiery heart.

The knight's family had built their home in the lush forest that bordered the cliffs. It was built out of fallen cliff rocks, burnt driftwood, and broken sea glass. They rarely left their home by the sea with no need of provisions, since the gardens they grew and the wildlife that roamed around, was more than sufficient for them.

And not many ventured to that part of the world, for there had been sightings and stories of dragons through the years, but the knight, whose name was Bellamy Blake, wasn't too concerned with mythical creatures or fairy tales.

Until the day a royal infantry showed up on his doorstep.

He had spotted their camp at the edge of the forest while he was out hunting. He told his sister to keep close to home but out of sight. Once she was gone, he opened his doors to find familiar faces in their ranks.

He nodded to them, Miller and Lincoln. They had fought together in the war that made him a knight years ago. Their eyes were hardened now and the innocence of their youth had faded. He embraced them with a warrior's handshake clutching tightly to their forearms before he turned to face the leader of their infantry.

"Sir Bellamy, this land and all the lands surrounding now belong to the Lady of Polis. You have a week to pack your things and leave."

The enforcer left before Bellamy could say a word. The knight stood there with his arms crossed and an angry roar threatened to tear out from deep in his chest. The order didn't sit well with him. He enjoyed the privacy and protection the cliffs and forest offered him and his sister. So, at first light on the next day, he left his home and ventured to Polis.

On his journey, he met many caravans and travelers from towns who were also forced to leave the area. But where Bellamy had only the clothes and armor on his back, the ones he met had all of their belongings packed high on their carts and horses. He shared meals with them around their campfires and they pointed him in the direction of Polis.

On the second day of his travels, he could see a tall tower rising high into the sky from miles away. It was surrounded by a barren land stripped of any vegetation. As he reached the kingdom, he found it even more scarce than the land around it. The streets were empty, the market stands unoccupied, and not a soul in sight.

He walked through the empty kingdom, down winding cobblestones and under the shade of the tall tower until he felt the rumbling under his feet. He could hear a chant of voices coming from the other side of the tower.

He followed the sound and found himself standing in front of a large stadium. The voices were deafening and it felt like the earth was quaking. Stands of people rose up high into the sky. Everyone in Polis was there.

A line was forming at the entrance of the stadium where knights and their steeds waited impatiently to enter. Bellamy slipped into the line and followed behind an old, brown donkey with water jugs strapped across its back. He had to speak with the Lady of Polis.

They marched into the center of a large arena. The guards of Polis closed the heavy doors behind the knights trapping them in. Bellamy shifted around in his armor and looked up to where a woman was speaking.

She wore dark war paint over eyes, even though Bellamy was sure there weren't any actual wars going on in that area of the kingdom. Her eyes were fierce and intimidating as she looked around at her subjects. Her voice commanded the presence of all those who could hear it and none of the knights beside him could look away.

"The winner of this tournament will have the honor of rescuing the beautiful Princess Clarke from the fiery pit of the dragon!" Some of the knights around Bellamy looked frightened, but he just chuckled under his breath. The donkey next to him titled his head to the side and let out a bray that sounded a lot like a laugh, too.

"Should the winner fail to return," she continued sternly, "the runner-up shall take his place, and so on and so forth...Some of you may die, but that is a sacrifice I am willing to make. Let the tournament begin!"

"I hope you're ready for this, knight," Bellamy glanced around him but couldn't tell who had spoken to him. The knights were circling away from one another sizing each other up. The donkey was still beside him and suddenly began to bray at a knight sliding up behind Bellamy. The water in the jugs sloshed violently on the donkey's back as it scurried out of the way.

"I am Sir Finn and I fight for Lady Lexa. Only I will rescue the princess!" the knight shouted and swung his sword at Bellamy. He easily stepped to the right as the other man's weapon sunk into the flesh of a different knight's armor. The metal on metal clinked and the crowd gasped. Sir Finn was a clumsy man, though, and tripped over his own sword falling down into the mud. The crowd laughed.

Bellamy sidestepped a few other over-eager knights and drew out his sword from behind his back. It was as long as the knight was tall and heavier than any sword should be. He held it in one hand and let the sword fall down to the ground and caught it before sending it back up and around in a flashy display. The Lady of Polis and her crowd only wanted a good show. And Bellamy was going to give it to them.

He caught a knight by his breastplate and slung him to the ground. The world slowed down as he fought off each knight one by one. One punch to the gut and a slash across an arm with his sword. He crouched down and swung his legs under one knight knocking him down. While he was down, a knight jumped on his back and tried to keep him there. They wrestled for a moment. Then Bellamy rose up and threw the man off his back, like he had the strength of a hundred men, sending him flying across the stadium.

He stood tall with his breath blowing out of his nostrils in hot spurts. His skin felt tight under his armor, threatening to burst through, so the knight steadied himself looking around for anyone else to challenge him.

A few knights gripped onto their weapons tightly, bouncing on the balls of their feet nervously, and glanced between one another.

"Let's have a go then, yeah?" he goaded them slapping the hilt of his sword against his thigh. At his words, the men seemed to have plucked their courage out of the air and circled him. A few let out battle cries and ran toward the knight in the center.

The donkey, from earlier, appeared beside the knight and kicked at Sir Finn who was charging up behind them. The man fell again and the donkey kicked at his head knocking him down and out for the count.

"Good one, but get out of the way, you ass!" Bellamy hollered at the donkey and jumped over his back to protect the animal's side from a pointed spear. He swung his sword deflecting the spear sending it back at its thrower knocking the knight down and then the crowd went wild.

Bellamy looked around at the fallen knights and the horses who were cowering against the arena walls. The knight and the donkey were the only ones left standing.

"People of Polis, I give you our champion!" Lady Lexa spoke over the crowd. The arena quieted down quickly. She clapped her hands together and slowly assessed her champion.

"What an impressive fight, knight. I've never seen such an unequal and unchallenged match among so many. But your armor is unfamiliar to me, Sir…?"

"Bellamy. Of Arkadia," he spoke up to her. The crowd murmured at his words. The Lady and her people began to look him over with fresh eyes.

The knight wore no helmet so his dark features, head full of dark curls and tan, freckled skin were seen clearly. He was tall with broad shoulders. And the armor he wore was unmarked except for the scale-like metal it was made up of. The black, thick plates of his armor fit him like a glove like the suit was made just for him. Like it could be an extension _of _him. An extra layer of skin.

"Congratulations, Sir Bellamy. You've won the honor of embarking on a great and noble quest!"

"Quest?" Bellamy asked in confusion and then anger, "But I'm already on a quest, a quest to get my cliffs back!"

"Your cliffs?" the Lady asked perplexed by his answer. She wasn't used to anyone refusing her.

"Yeah, my cliffs! By the outer forest and the East Sea. They don't belong to you, lady."

The Lady of Polis stood up from her throne, placed a hand on her chin thoughtfully, and leaned over the banister in front of her.

"Indeed," she whispered. "Alright, knight. I'll make you a deal. Go on this little quest for me, and I'll give you your land back."

"Untouched and never to be bothered again?" Bellamy crossed his arms.

"My army will be as good as gone when you return," she promised.

The road north into the mountains was long so, Bellamy left Polis immediately. He trudged silently up into the hills as the sun sunk low behind the mountains. The life returned to the ground the farther he got away from Lady Lexa's domain. The grass was thicker and the trees fuller the higher he climbed.

He glanced behind him when he heard a twig snap and unsheathed his sword swinging around to face whoever was following him. But he was met by the fuzzy face of the old donkey.

"Get out of here, pony. This is no place for an old boy like you," he rubbed the donkey's muzzle and turned back toward the mountains.

"Listen, can I just say that you were really, really, really something back there," a familiar voice spoke.

"Who said that?" Bellamy turned around quickly looking around for one of the knights or someone from the crowd in Polis.

"It was me..._you ass_," the donkey said. Bellamy looked at the animal in bewilderment as it rolled its eyes at him.

"A-a talking donkey?"

The donkey snorted and trotted ahead of him.

"The name's Murphy. And if you're really from Arkadia like you say you are, then you shouldn't have a problem believing in talking animals and cursed beasts," the donkey, apparently named Murphy, said eyeing the knight suspiciously.

"Right," Bellamy grunted. "So why are you following me?"

"You saved me and I'm returning the favor," Murphy said smugly. "I was trotted out into that stadium as a water mule for years. And thanks to you, I'm free! So, I'm going to help you rescue the princess! You can't go in there, steal a dragon's prized possession, and get out of there without backup. Not unless you plan on being barbecue tonight."

The knight sighed, not bothering to argue with an ass, and knowing that he was right. He followed Murphy up the mountains as the air turned cooler and the sky darker.

It was a straight path up to the high peaks of Mount Weather, where the Princess was supposed to be locked away and guarded by a fire-breathing dragon. Bellamy didn't ask many questions of Lexa as to why a princess was trapped there and needed rescuing or why Lexa didn't do it herself in the first place. He only thought about his cliffs and his sister. He had never left her alone for this long before and he knew he needed to fulfill his quest quickly.

Lost in his thoughts, he bumped into the rear end of Murphy who had stopped short in the middle of the road. As Bellamy looked up, he noticed the path had run out and they stood before a castle covered in darkness and fog.

"Doesn't look like anyone is home. We should go now," Murphy said with a tremble in his voice.

"Oh, no you don't," Bellamy said and grabbed the shaking donkey by the bridle to stop him from leaving.

He looked up at the castle. He could make out a solid, rock bridge across a deep moat, a crumbling gate, and the stone spirals of the castle's towers through the fog. A faint light shone in the tallest tower. There was only one way in and one way up to the princess.

The knight and the donkey walked slowly across the bridge careful not to fall through any holes down into the dark ravine. Murphy's hooves clip-clopped over the stones and Bellamy's heart beat wildly in his chest. An owl hooted in the distance.

"So where is this fire-breathing pain-in-the-neck anyway?" Murphy asked.

"Inside, waiting for us to rescue her," Bellamy said and chuckled lightly at his joke.

"I meant the dragon."

They stepped over piles of rubble and junk. Bellamy blocked the donkey's view with his body when they passed a burnt barbecued knight. At least Bellamy knew he wasn't the only knight to come knocking on this dragon's door. It wasn't a comforting thought, though. The door to the castle was thrown aside and when they entered the ruins Murphy's jaw dropped.

The great hall was void of its ceiling, appearing to have lost it many years ago. They went deeper into the room and Bellamy looked up. He could count the stars with how clear the sky was here. The fog surrounding the castle had disappeared.

But it was the mountain of treasure that had made Murphy silent for the first time.

Heaps of gold littered the floor like the bottom of the ocean under a pirate's shipwreck, diamonds twinkled in the starlight like they were meant to be hung in the sky, and crowned jewels that once belonged to royalty dangled upon fallen chandeliers. The treasure was vast and immeasurable.

"A fire-breathing, treasure-hoarding dragon! Lady Lexa forgot to mention that last part," Murphy exclaimed after he had found his voice. He went to pick up a crown of ruby flowers with his mouth and tossed it upon his head. It hung over one ear and fell down making it lopsided across his head. Murphy appeared to grin at Bellamy cheekily.

"She won't be far from her treasure," Bellamy said aloud thinking of the hidden caves along his cliffs back home.

"It's a girl dragon? Of course, it's a girl dragon! Oh, Bottom," Murphy swore.

They crept over a mound of treasure spilling silver onto the marble floor of the castle. It tinkered loudly around the chasm they stood in and bounced off of discarded yellow-faded plates. The plates looked familiar to the knight, but before he could warn the donkey, the ground underneath them began to move.

The section of the marble floor shuddered and rose up under their feet, they jumped back against the wall, and Bellamy finally recognized it as the form of a white dragon. She shook off the many treasures from her back and her visitors were left to stand on the hard, brown dirt that truly lined the castle floor. The long tail of the dragon uncurled and swished out the door of the great hall into the courtyard.

As the dragon's body unfurled, she rose up on her hind legs and spread her wings. The alabaster scales glistened brightly across her belly as the gold that hung to it dropped like sparks to the ground. She blinked her eyes sleepily and looked around not noticing that Bellamy and Murphy were hidden in the shadows.

"What do we do?" Murphy wheezed. The room was filling up with the smoke that poured out of the dragon's nostrils and Bellamy could feel the donkey's body convulsing with a cough he was trying to keep down.

"Find the stairs. The princess will be up the stairs in the highest room of the tallest tower. I'll meet you at the front gates once I take care of this beast."

"Okay. Cool. Yeah, I'll just...You handle the dragon. I'll handle the stairs. And then…ahem!" The smoke in the room finally caused Murphy to cough and it echoed around the castle walls and inner courtyard loudly.

The dragon jerked her head in their direction. Her piercing opal eyes narrowed when she spotted them. Her chest expanded glowing bright red and a rumble started deep in her belly.

"Run!" Bellamy shouted pushing Murphy out of the way before the dragon could incinerate them with her fire. The dragon roared and breathed out a mighty inferno. Bellamy could feel the heat behind him as he dashed through the courtyard. It lit up the castle and he ran toward a set of stairs.

Murphy galloped in a different direction and Bellamy lost sight of the donkey, but the dragon followed after the knight. She was too large to fit through the stairs but breathed another hot blaze up after him. He ran up the spiral staircase until he reached the top, like the great hall, it was roofless.

The dragon had taken flight and was waiting for him at the top of the tower. Her wings beat swiftly to keep her up and the wind it caused made the knight's curls whip around his head frantically.

"I don't want any of your treasures, _drakaina_. I'm only here to collect the princess," he shouted calmly over the wind taking out his sword and pointing it at the dragon. The dragon growled at him and swooped down nipping at the knight, missing the crown of his head by a mere breadth.

Bellamy glanced down at the ground guessing the distance and the damage such a fall would cause from this height. It was a shorter distance than his cliffs were from the sea. He would survive the drop.

The real problem, though, was the dragon. It wasn't in the knight's nature to hurt a creature such as the one before him, but her anger was rolling off her white scales fiercely. He knew he had moments left before she would let out her fury on him again.

He looked to her chest noticing the soft scales by her heart. It was the only weak spot the dragon had. He poised his sword over his head ready to maim the creature when she dived back down at him.

Before he could though, the night slowly started to turn pink in the distance. Daylight was approaching and the fog came rolling in and coating the castle in gray. Bellamy lost sight of the dragon as she flew higher into the sky. He had to shield his eyes from the bright rays of the sun that were ascending over the mountaintops.

He searched for the dragon in the sky, but as the wind died down around him, he realized she must have flown away. He made his way back down the spiral staircase in search of his donkey and the princess. He passed the room of riches and the empty courtyard moving in the direction he had seen Murphy last.

The tallest tower was in front of him so he raced through the castle and took the stairs up two at a time. As he rounded the corner he found Murphy cowering behind a pile of rubble. His tail was tucked and his body was quivering.

"Murphy, what are you doing?" Bellamy hissed at the animal. The donkey peeked his head up at the knight and burst into tears.

"Th-th-the dragon….I-i-i-i saw it fly down...and I-i-i-i think it-it ate the princess!" Murphy cried and ran behind Bellamy as he made his way to the princess' room.

He slid the door open slowly and looked around the chamber. It was rounded, like the keep, with large stone walls and a glass roof that was still intact. More gems and fortune were stacked up in a corner haphazardly. One large window looked out to the west side of the castle and under it was a large canopy bed filled with downy feathers and the sleeping body of a princess.

"Stay here," Bellamy cautioned the donkey. He moved slowly into the room and toward the window assessing the space. There were no signs of a dragon, except for a few discarded yellow scales and a scorched burn mark running along the wall.

The knight gazed down at the princess. Her eyelids fluttered slightly as she took in a deep breath before a small smile graced her pink lips. She was dreaming peacefully like she had been asleep for ages even if the purple-bruised tint to her lids suggested she needed to sleep a hundred more. Her skin was the color of pearl, like porcelain, smooth and fragile. Her hair was thick and golden tumbling in waves across the pillow under her head.

Bellamy's eyes swept over her figure, the swell of her breasts and the dip of her waist. They were covered by a white gown made up of lace and chain maille. It reminded Bellamy of the scales of his armor.

He looked over to the treasure, the scales, and back at the princess before shaking his head to rid his mind of connecting any more dots. His quest was to rescue a princess and return her to Polis so he could get back to his home. It wasn't any of his business who or what the princess really was.

So, he started to shake the princess by the shoulders to wake her from her slumber.

"Hey, wake up, Princess!"

The princess' eyelids shot open revealing two large, blue opal spheres. They blinked up at him in shock.

"Are you Princess Clarke?"

"I am, awaiting a knight so brave and beautiful as you to rescue me," her voice was soft and raspy like she had smoke swirling around inside her lungs. She sat up in the bed looking up at him expectantly with pursed lips.

"Oh. Um, yeah. We need to go!" Bellamy reached for the princess' hand but his fingers grasped on to nothing as she pulled away from him.

"Wait, Sir Knight. This is our first meeting. Is it too much to ask that it be a wonderful, romantic moment?"

"Yeah, sorry, Princess. I'll take you right to that romantic meeting with your true love as soon as we get down the mountains."

"What are you talking about? You braved the mountain and fought the dragon. What is your name?"

"Uh, Bellamy."

"Sir Bellamy," the princess bowed, he nodded back at her awkwardly, and then she sat back down on her bed and folded her arms. "I'm afraid I cannot go with you. I must await my true love and share true love's first kiss."

"And I'm afraid you'll be waiting for a long time if you do that." Bellamy folded his arms mimicking the stubborn princess.

"What?"

"Princess, I was sent to rescue you by Lady Lexa, okay? She's the one who wants to marry you."

"So why didn't she come and rescue me?"

"Good question. You can ask her at your wedding."

The princess continued to pout refusing to meet his eyes now and toed at a string of pearls by her feet. Bellamy rolled his eyes at her juvenile behavior. The glint of a dragon's scale caught his attention again and he pushed it toward the princess with his boot.

"I'm guessing your dragon guard isn't coming back any time soon, but she'll return, right?"

Princess Clarke looked up at him and unfolded her arms delicately.

"Why don't you just leave?" Bellamy muttered under his breath. If the pieces of the puzzle truly fit, he wondered how long the princess had been trapped here and why she didn't just walk out the front gates. She went to argue with him but stopped when the screech of an animal rang up through the tower.

The princess ran out of the room in a panic and down the stairs. Bellamy followed behind her and Murphy stirred from his nap as they exited the tower.

"What's happening? Where's the fire?" Murphy called to Bellamy. He turned and shrugged, but continued to follow the princess and the noises.

Once he caught up with the princess in the courtyard, he saw that she was crouched over a small tiger owl. The bird's wings were stretched out in odd angles. As Bellamy got closer, he could see the rise and fall of its chest that was burnt black in many spots. Burned by fire. _Dragon's fire. _

He drew out a knife from his side and lowered himself to his knees next to her. She was crying and as the tears rolled down her cheeks they hit the owl's scorched, tiny body. It was legend that a dragon's tears could heal any wound, but the princess was only human.

"Atom. He likes to roost in the trees around the courtyard. He knows to stay away from the great hall at night, but he must have…" a sob escaped her throat and she seized the knife from him.

"It's okay, Atom. I'm so, so sorry," Princess Clarke hummed a forgotten lullaby to the bird and plunged the knife into the owl's left side. It finally stopped struggling to breathe and closed its eyes in death. Bellamy hadn't taken a breath or blinked the whole time he watched her.

She wiped the blade off in the sand and handed it back to him.

"What's the holdup? We're burning daylight, people!" Murphy called from across the courtyard stomping his hoof against the cobblestone.

"Did that horse just talk?" she asked and sniffled.

"It's an ass, actually, but the trick is getting him to shut up," Bellamy tossed a rock in Murphy's direction playfully.

"So, what will it be, Princess?" He extended his hand out to her and grinned broadly at her.

Princess Clarke sat back on her heels and scrubbed away the tears on her face with the sleeve of her gown. She swung her golden locks to one side of her body and quickly threaded her hair into a loose braid. The pleated tresses fell down to her waist. She rocked on the balls of her feet, ignoring Bellamy's outstretched hand, and rose back up to her feet.

"Can you get me there before sunset?" she asked and looked around at her castle.

"I can get you there by noon if we leave now."

"Good. I just need to grab a few things first."

Bellamy followed the princess back up the tower and watched as she threw random objects from the room into a worn, brown satchel. Books and paints, brushes and ink, along with a tiara and jewelry. When she was satisfied, she placed the satchel over Murphy's back, ignoring his protests, and led the way beyond the castle walls.

They all trudged silently one behind the other down the mountain. Bellamy was feeling the effects of the night before in his tired body and sore muscles. He rolled his shoulders and popped his neck listening to Princess Clarke and Murphy strike up a conversation in front of him.

"How long have you lived in that castle, Princess?"

"Since I was a little girl. My parents locked me away in hopes someone would come and save me," she said sadly.

"Rude. So where did all that gold come from?"

"A dragon has to keep warm at night," she said nonchalantly and Bellamy smirked.

"I bet it's hard for a knight to resist a honey pot like hers," Bellamy spoke up thinking of the burnt knights that had littered the castle floors.

"I didn't see you pick up any coins on our way out," Princess Clarke turned to throw a smile at him over her shoulder.

"Yeah, _knight_. I snuck out at least one crown of jewels, a bag of gold, two cuts of diamond, and a royal scepter when y'all weren't looking," Murphy rattled off.

"The journey home will be a good enough prize for me, donkey."

"Yeah, well, you say that now, but when Lady Lexa betrays her word don't come crying to me for a gold-plated pillow to rest your head on."

"Oh, the Lady wouldn't do such a thing!" Princess Clarke gasped in horror at the thought of her wife-to-be's betrayal.

"I'm afraid the new Lady of Polis is a cruel leader, Princess. She takes and she takes until there is nothing left to give," Murphy said solemnly. Images of the barren land surrounding Polis and the jugs on the donkey's back sprung up in Bellamy's mind at the donkey's words.

"Are you a cursed being, too, Murphy? Like dragons," Bellamy questioned him curiously.

"All dragons aren't cursed," Princess Clarke insisted. They had come to a valley between the mountains and stopped at a small river. The princess stroked Murphy's mane and led him to the running water.

"There are no truly _wild_ dragons roaming around anymore. Not since Arkadia fell. One can be either dragon-cursed or dragon-born. Taking the shape of a dragon when demanded or when it wants. But it's a curse all the same."

"Which one are you?" Murphy directed at Bellamy. Princess Clarke didn't see who the donkey was talking to and answered him quickly.

"No one said anyone here was a dragon!"

"And no one said anything about being a cursed donkey! My ability to converse is a story for another adventure," Murphy said briskly.

Princess Clarke and Murphy continued to argue so Bellamy waded out into the river. It wasn't salty like his sea, but still cold and refreshing enough for him. He splashed the fresh water over his armor and on his face washing away the grim and ash that had collected on him.

He looked up when he heard Clarke's screams.

She was being held against the body of a large Mountain Man. Bellamy recognized their armor instantly. Scraps of metal and furs of animals made up the men's clothing. They were traitors. Men who had run away from the kingdom's armies and lived as cowards in the mountains. Bellamy had never met one before, but there were five of them standing in front of the knight now.

Bellamy spat at their feet in disgust.

"Hand over the princess now and no one has to get hurt," he growled. Seeing the dirty hands of a traitor covering Clarke's soft face made the blood under his armor boil. Waves of tension rolled off his body and desperation to save her simmered at his fingertips.

He reached for his sword as the Mountain Men reached for their weapons. Bows were drawn with arrows pointed and axes unsheathed as the knight's sword shined. All at once, Bellamy swung at the nearest man, Clarke bit down on her captor's hand piercing him with her sharp, white teeth, and Murphy bucked until he was loose from his rope. They met in the center, backs pressed tight against each other and circled around.

Bellamy could feel Clarke's fear radiating down her body in waves, but she wasn't afraid. She bared her teeth at the Mountain Men. And Murphy couldn't shut up taunting the men to have a go at them.

"You ugly, 'ol sack of potatoes. Where did you find these guys anyway? Go take a long walk off a short cliff, Bigfoot. And, you, go back to your mountain cave, you troll!"

The Mountain Men grew angrier at the donkey's words and charged the trio. Bellamy whirled around knocking out two men at once with his mighty sword. Clarke flipped over the top of Murphy round kicking a man to the face and punching another squarely in the jaw.

When all the Mountain Men were down, Bellamy and Clarke stepped back to regain their bearings and breathed deeply as the high of the fight wore off.

"Are you okay?" he asked her. Clarke shook her head _yes_ and sat down in the grass. Murphy flopped down beside her winded from his spiel of insults.

"Where did that come from, Princess?" Murphy asked.

"What?"

"What was all that? Those moves weren't taught in a royal court, I tell you that."

"Oh, well, when one lives alone and... there are dangers one needs to protect one's self from when...when there's...there's an arrow in your butt!"

Clarke pointed at Bellamy's backside in horror.

"Oh, would you look at that."

"What? Bellamy's hurt? Oh, no. He's hurt. Bellamy's going to die. Oh, knight, hang on. Breathe In. Breathe—"

"Murphy! Calm down before you— "

Murphy fainted and fell to the ground with a loud thump before Bellamy could reassure him that he was fine.

"He'll be fine," Clarke said and approached Bellamy carefully like she would a wounded animal. Hands raised at her side. "Now, hold still and I'll yank it out."

"It's not even that deep. I think it may just be stuck in the armor," Bellamy said and tried to look back at the arrow. He could make out the feathers on the fletching but couldn't feel much of the head in his flesh. He winced when Clarke pulled on the shaft.

"Okay, so maybe it's a little deep."

"It missed your armor, but it's caught between two plates. If you just hold still…"

Clarke pulled hard yanking the arrow out and Bellamy howled in pain. They both lost their balance in the process and toppled to the ground. The knight let out a huff as the princess landed roughly on his chest.

"You can let go of my bum now," he murmured.

"You can let go of me first," she whispered in his ear. He suddenly became very aware of every inch of the princess' body pressed against his. The curve of her small frame fit snugly on top of his chiseled chest as his arms wrapped around her.

He let go of her and let her push up off of him. But a link in her dress caught on one of the chinks in his armor. They fidgeted with the knots. Her hand bumping into his. He rested his large hand on top of hers to stop her unsteadiness over his chest. He felt two beats before he spoke.

"Your hair smells like strawberries."

"Oh. It's from the cream. I like to make strawberry ice cream when it's warm out and I use the berries to dye my hair," she explained and pressed her forehead to his chest. Bellamy pressed his nose into the top of her head and breathed her scent in deeply. She smelled of strawberries and smoke. Not a heavy smoke, like the thick, dark smoke of fire the, but light, like the clean mist that clung to the fumes in the air.

When she began to move again, Bellamy lifted his hands off hers settling them down on her waist to let her untangle their clothing. She made quick work this time and jumped in surprise when Murphy picked his head up off the grass.

"But I don't want to go to school, Mommy!"

Clarke and Bellamy burst out laughing and broke apart as the donkey came to twitching his ears in confusion.

"What happened? What I miss?" His head bounced back and forth between the two.

"Nothing happened. We were just...uh…" Bellamy was for a loss of words for what was just happening moments before.

"Uh-huh. Look, if y'all wanted to be alone, all you had to do was say so. Okay?"

"What? No!"

"Of course not!"

Bellamy and Clarke both denied his accusation at the same time looking down at the ground and everywhere but at each other. Bellamy shook his head and thought he saw Clarke smiling to herself but he was too stubborn to look up at her face.

"Sure. Well, let's get a move on before we miss brunch in Polis. I want some waffles from that one stand in the marketplace down from that man who sells those candied crickets and..." Murphy was trotting happily across the valley and talking up a storm so Bellamy gestured for Clarke to follow after him first. She smoothed out her dress and hurried to catch up with Murphy.

Bellamy took a deep breath, picked up his sword from the grass, and placed it where it belonged on his back. Then he followed after his friends.

He watched the stubborn pain of an ass in front of him. Since Bellamy had started his quest, he hadn't thought of much else or what he would do when he was finished and on his journey home. But he couldn't leave Murphy in Polis, not to be herded around like cattle and pranced around for Lexa's bloodsport. He had grown fond of the donkey over the last few days. Murphy was cantering along the path now as he sang a silly song to make Clarke laugh.

And the princess…

Her laughter sounded like tinkling bells to the knight's ears. He watched her flaxen braid flutter in the wind and whip around the shoulders of her lace covered dress. The back of the gown was cut low and open exposing the creamy expanse of her skin. There was no denying, that he thought the princess was beyond beautiful, but it was her fierce compassion that stunned him the most.

She was filled with kindness, which was surprising given the way she had spent most of her life all alone. Bellamy knew of the bitterness that grew around one's heart in the depths of that kind of loneliness. He saw something of himself in her that frightened him. The two had much in common, though he would never admit it out loud. And he felt like she was the only one, outside of his family, that could truly understand him if he let her in.

But as they approached the border of Polis, he shut out those thoughts and focused on getting the princess to Lady Lexa. It was high noon like he promised.

"Plenty of time for true love's kiss," he teased and bumped Clarke's shoulder with his. Murphy galloped past them towards the market stands and his waffles.

"Yep," she skipped ahead of him blocking him from walking any farther. "I just...before we go up and meet this lady, I just wanted to say thank you for rescuing me...and for not hurting the dragon."

"I would never hurt you, Princess." He bowed to her and then took her hand lowering his lips to press a feather light kiss upon her hand barely touching its surface. Clarke's cheeks turned red and she ducked her head in embarrassment.

A fanfare of horns sounded around the kingdom's tower and Bellamy looked up to see the Lady's black coat of arms being put out on the terrace above.

"She's entertaining requests now. It's now or never," Murphy said walking up beside them.

"You have to make a request to speak with her?" Clarke asked worriedly.

"I told you she wasn't a very friendly ruler," Murphy muttered under his breath. Bellamy gave him a stern look to be quiet and they walked to the tower.

Once they were inside, they rode up on a large wood platform that was pulled up by a pulley system with ropes. Clarke wrung her hands nervously and Bellamy reached for her hand squeezing it tightly in reassurance. They came to a stop at the throne room where Lady Lexa sat upon a great chair made of twisted branches and spears. She still wore the black war paint across her eyes.

"Ah, welcome, Sir Bellamy of Arkadia! And Princess Clarke, I presume." Lady Lexa stood up from her throne and walked down the steps to meet them. Her red, heavy cape dragged behind her. She immediately reached for Clarke's face, placing her hand roughly on the nape of her neck and kissing the princess on each cheek furiously.

"As promised. And my land?" Bellamy spoke harshly bristled by the woman's behavior but unable to stop it. Clarke flinched at his words and the Lady's brazen touch.

"Yes, very well," she signaled to the captain of her guard. A heavy-set woman approached Bellamy with a letter of withdrawal of the land and motioned for him to follow her.

"My captain, Diyoza, will escort you down to the stables. I am graciously gifting you one of my horses as a consolation prize for your troubles. It's a sturdy thoroughbred from the pastures in your home of Arkadia. A stallion with the blood of unicorns in its veins to carry you home swiftly," Lexa looked at him smugly and turned back to the princess.

"Forgive me, Princess, if I startled you, but you startled me, for I have never seen such radiant beauty before. I am Lady Lexa."

"A Pleasure, my Lady. And forgive me for being so forward, but when shall we wed?"

"I will start making the plans immediately, and we shall wed tomorrow!" Lady Lexa exclaimed thrilled with the princess' forwardness, but Clarke looked panic-stricken at that and flung herself at Lexa's feet.

"Why wait? Let's get married today—before sunset!"

Bellamy looked out the tower windows and could see the sun sitting high in the sky. He turned his back when Lexa agreed letting the happy couple plan their nuptials. The knight had no place there anymore. The ladies-in-waiting rushed past him into the room as he left, on Lexa's command, to prepare her and Clarke for the wedding.

At the foot of the tower, Murphy met him with an eager look on his face and his tail swished back and forth quickly.

"Did it work? Did they kiss?"

"What?" Bellamy asked distracted as he followed Diyoza to the stables. Murphy scampered beside him trying to keep up their wide strides.

"Did Clarke and Lexa share true love's kiss and break the curse or whatever she was hoping would happen?"

"No!"

"It didn't work? So where is she…?"

"No, I mean, they didn't kiss yet. The wedding is happening before sunset. I'm sure Lexa will make a spectacle out of it. You're happy to stay and watch."

The stable doors opened hitting Bellamy with the strong scent of hay and manure. The horses neighed and brayed as they passed until they reached the very last stall.

"You just left her?" Murphy asked dumbfounded.

"She's a princess, Murphy! This is where she belongs. Not with someone like me," Bellamy said with his voice rising in an angry tremble.

"But I thought…"

"You thought wrong, donkey." Bellamy cut him off and accepted the reins of the horse from Diyoza. The tall black beast was much larger than Murphy, large enough for the tall knight to sit comfortably on its back. He led it out of the stable and turned to look at the donkey.

"Are you coming home with me or not, Murphy?"

"I think I'll stay and make sure the princess is okay."

"Suit yourself." Bellamy kicked at the horse's flank and road east to his cliffs.

Bellamy was most relieved to find that the beast he rode on didn't talk. It was an ordinary animal, but it was strong and fast. The two-day journey he had taken to get to Polis only took the horse two hours to return. It galloped faster than any stallion should be able to. The thick flanks of the horse glistened in the sun and the black mane tangled up in his fingers as they rode. Bellamy wondered how Lexa had acquired a beast like this from Arkadia. The unicorns were as scarce as dragons in that part of the world now.

The roads home were empty. He came upon no caravans or wayward travelers like he did before. The ocean breeze was the only thing to meet him. The familiar scent of brine and ocean life swirled around him, like the heavy, heady smell of seaweed washed up on the beach mixed with the dried-out crabs and wet sand. He breathed it in deeply letting it cleanse his lungs.

He wondered how his home would look to him now that he had traveled far and wide and seen many other sights. If the ocean blues of his sea would pale in comparison to the opal irises of a dragon. If the green forest would be dull and muted compared to the fir trees of the mountains. How would his humble abode look to him now that he had seen such magnificent castles and great towers?

As the horse passed over the ridge, Bellamy got a good look at it all. The ocean raged on like always, his cliffs were hidden in heavy fog, but the forest…

The forest was bare. Sections of trees had been stripped away. He could make out his home, which was usually hidden from view, from his vantage point. Lady Lexa's army had been busy while he was away. He could see no sign of the army now, but the damage had been done.

He rode down through the sparse trees at the front of the forest and whistled his arrival for his sister. He saw her in front of the house as he approached.

"What happened here?" He called and jumped down from his horse.

"The Lady of Polis had every knight and warrior tearing down as many trees as they could since you left. They left at midday, though. Were you able to secure our land back?" His sister, Octavia, asked. She eyed his armor and his new steed.

"What happened to you?"

"I went on a quest to rescue a princess, met a talking donkey, and earned a horse who's part unicorn. Just your normal knight-in-shining-armor stint."

Bellamy grinned at his little sister and pulled her in for a tight hug. It felt good to see that she was okay. He looked her over searching for scorched hair or burn marks but found none. Her brown hair was braided in a simple braid down her back and her cheeks were smudged with flour.

"How did you manage to stay out of trouble?"

"Lincoln came by to check on me while you were away," Octavia tried to sound like it was no big deal, but Bellamy knew when she was hiding something from him. He let it go, though, and reached for Lexa's letter in his pocket to show Octavia. She glanced over it.

"What exactly did Lady Lexa promise you? Did you even look at this when you left Polis?" Octavia threw the letter down to the ground and stomped away from him and went into the house. Bellamy picked up the letter and began to read quickly as he followed her.

"I relinquish the land to Sir Bellamy with the intent of reclaiming my rightful grounds in due time…what is this even talking about?"

Octavia had entered the kitchen and was scrubbing away at an iron pot. Cleaning was what she did to keep the fire in her chest at bay in times of stress. She looked up at him when he approached her.

"She's not giving us back our home, Bellamy! She's just waiting until she can take what she wants as proper royalty. You said you had to rescue a princess for her?"

"Yeah, Princess Clarke. She was trapped in a castle atop Mount Weather," Bellamy was unsure of what Octavia was trying to tell him. Of what she was trying to explain what was wrong with Lexa's letter.

"Lincoln and the other knights talked about Lexa while you were away. She's the worst kind of ruler. Seeking power wherever and however she can. She's going to drain the kingdom dry in her conquest for dominance right after she marries your princess."

Bellamy's steps faltered and the letter fell from his hands at her words. The world felt like it was spinning out from under him. He knew Lexa wasn't the kindest Lady in all the lands, but he had tricked himself into thinking Clarke would be safe with her. It was the only way he had been able to leave her. But he couldn't deny it now. If the Lady plowed down the trees and stripped the earth of its beauty so brazenly, what would she do to his princess?

"I have to save her," Bellamy said.

"Who?" Octavia asked perplexed by her brother's sudden words.

"I have to get back to Polis before sunset. It won't break the curse if it isn't true love's kiss."

"What?" Octavia hurried to catch up with him as he ran back to the horse.

"Clarke! I have to save her." Bellamy said and swung himself upon the horse's back. He looked down at Octavia with a determination on his face she'd only seen on the cliffs by the sea.

"I hope your unicorn flies as fast a dragon then, brother."

Octavia smacked the rear of the stallion and it took off. It galloped along the cliffs cutting through the forest swiftly. Bellamy looked toward the sea at the lowering sun. He had to hurry if he was going to make it in time. He had to stop the wedding and get Clarke to safety before the sun set.

He kicked at the horse and slapped the reins against its neck. The stallion raced down beaches and up cliffs. The heights and the slopes never slowing it down. The horse truly had magic in its veins.

Polis was in Bellamy's sights before long and he steered the horse through the empty city. Again, all of the people had gathered, not at the arena this time, but at the cathedral in the center of Polis. It was smaller than the tower but much grander. Gothic spirals ran up the top of the cathedral and the domed entrance was engraved, with all the saints and numerous biblical statues, out of limestone. The sun bounced off of the bottom of the stained-glass windows as it slipped closer to the horizon.

Bellamy wasted no time by riding up the stairs of the church, jumping off his horse, and throwing open the doors of the cathedral. They reached from the ground to the top of the cathedral dome, made up of thick ironwood. His arms strained under his armor threatening to tear through as he pushed the doors open.

"I object!" His voice rung out clearly through the basilica and up into the high ceiling. The crowd gasped and looked back at the intruder. Clarke and Lexa were bowed in prayer before the altar and their heads shot up at his words.

"Bellamy?" Clarke breathed.

"What is he doing back here? Guards!" Lexa said rising up from the altar. She still wore the red cape, but had washed away her war paint and wore a fancy white dress. She fanned out the cape behind her dramatically.

"Clarke, I can't let you marry her. She's not your true love!" He strode down the aisle and smiled at the sight of her.

He could see the lace gown under her wedding garment. Layers of tulle fell from her waist creating a train of many feet. More lace lined her top entwined with flowers and her sleeves were capped off in satin. Her hair was braided more intricately than before and a tiara sat upon her head making her look like a true princess. The rose of her cheeks and the tint in her lips matched perfectly against her blue eyes.

But her eyes held unshed tears as hoped blossomed from the fearful terror in her heart. Before she could say anything, Lexa cackled.

"Oh, this is precious. The knight has fallen in love with the princess! But oh, knight? I'm afraid you're too late. We are but a kiss away."

The crowd laughed at Lexa's signal and Bellamy clenched his fists in anger at the malice in her eyes. She grabbed ahold of Clarke's arms pulling her into an embrace. Clarke tried to pull away.

But before the women could seal their fate with a kiss, the sun cast its final rays through the stained-glass window bathing the hall in golden light. It washed over Clarke and Lexa. The Lady let out a painful scream and let go of the princess as Clarke's arm glowed red-hot.

"Sunset!" It was Murphy's voice beside him now. The donkey had made his way through the crowd and guards to reach the front of the cathedral.

Clarke's body began to change, growing in size and shape. The wedding dress ripped apart and the chain maille of her gown hardened to scales revealing the cursed dragon that she truly was.

"It's hideous! Guards! Chain this beast up. I don't care about your true love. This marriage is still binding. I will have what is mine," Lexa screeched maniacally and smiled wickedly as the guards rushed forward to capture the dragon.

Bellamy swore and leaped toward the men. He fought against them as the dragon rose up on her hind legs and flapped her wings stirring up the dust on the old, hallowed floor. The guards threw their ropes around her wings pulling her back down to the ground. Bellamy pushed the guards away from Clarke with great force and slashed at the ropes with his bare hands, but more knights poured into the church. Scores of them surrounded the dragon and the knight. He was forced down to his knees.

"Bellamy, do the thing. I know you know how to do the thing. You need to do it right now. Bellamy! Do the thing!" Murphy shouted at him. He, too, had been captured and lay on his side with legs tied together. But they had forgotten to cover his mouth.

"You will rot in a cell forever, knight," Lexa said hovering over Bellamy. She slapped him hard across the cheek and signaled for her captain. "Someone shut that mule up."

Diyoza pulled Bellamy up to his feet and said, "All this fuss for one princess."

Bellamy looked at Diyoza and then at the white dragon that was struggling under the tight ropes. He saw the scared little girl in her eyes. The princess that was sent far, far away from her home. And he saw the woman that possessed such a strength to rise every morning in spite of the fire that burned through the night in her chest. Waiting for someone to save her.

But the princess in the castle didn't need to be rescued from a dragon like the fairytales always said, she was the dragon and she could—no she would—save herself.

"She must be pretty important to you."

"She is."

Bellamy channeled all of his strength in breaking his chains and unsheathed his sword swiping at the dragon's bonds. Smoke blew out of her nostrils in thanks, pushed up on unsteady legs, and wobbled and climbed over the altar. Her long tail swished behind her knocking knights to the ground.

"Fly, Princess! Fly as far away as you can!" He shouted at her to go and the dragon took flight crashing through the stained-glass window. Colored shards rained down upon his head.

He shook off the glass and turned to face the Lady of Polis and her army. But Lexa was lying in the broken glass surrounded by her guards. The dragon's tail had pierced her side and blood was trickling from the corner of her mouth.

"Blood must have blood," the priest whispered leaning down to close her eyes. The people of Polis had been frightened into silence during the whole ordeal but burst into cheers. They were no longer under the rule of a tyrant.

Bellamy scrambled across to Murphy and untied the donkey. They left the church quickly as the congregation began to mourn their loss.

"Forget about me! Go after her!" The donkey pushed at him with his head when Bellamy slowed his steps at the door.

"She's probably back at her castle by now," Bellamy said sitting down on the steps outside of the cathedral in surrender.

"So. I know you have a little fire-breathing action inside of you. And it isn't a coincidence that you're both cursed the same way. Whether it's on demand or whenever the hell you want! The important part is that you both love each other and you need each other," Murphy picked up his hoof and laid it on Bellamy's chest.

"It's been a long time since I let the beast out," he whispered.

"Maybe the princess doesn't need saving, but she needs you, Bellamy. And you need her. It's time to let someone into this dragon heart of yours."

Bellamy felt the heartstrings strum against his chest at the donkey's words and the dragon scales of his armor prickled to life.

Dragons, like his sister and Clarke, were known to be treasure-hoarders and fire-throwers. They were wild and free. Unlike the dragons like himself, who were dark and fearsome creatures. Those dragons were fire-starters burning down whole villages in their wrath.

Their anger was hard to control but needed to be caged.

It was why Bellamy had fought in the wars that made him a knight. Why his knuckles bled red just so he could contain the fiery ache in his heart. Why he flung himself off of sea cliffs to hear himself roar in the wind until his voice was hoarse and tired. Why he hadn't transformed into a dragon for ages. Not since Arkadia had chased his family away and the world had turned its back on magic becoming afraid of creatures like them.

No longer denying who he was, Bellamy didn't feel the armor harden into the black scales or hear the roar forming deep in his chest. His mind commanded his body to change. His muscles expanded and his skin stretched. The dragon unfolded from where Bellamy had kept it hidden away inside of him. His wings broke through his back and Bellamy let out a blast of fire in pain.

He tested out his balance rising up on his hind legs. He could feel the dirt between his claws and dug in anchoring himself to the ground. He stretched out his wings vibrating them with the wind. It lifted him up off of the ground gently.

Murphy was shaking slightly below him hugging tight to the wall of the cathedral.

"I guess love can draw out a dragon, like the promise of treasures from the kings," he said. Bellamy snorted at him and nodded thanks to his friend. He would be back for him.

The black dragon took off toward the mountains gaining momentum until the wind caught under his wings. He soared high into the sky out of Polis and over the thick firs and rich valleys. The wind danced around his body swirling and twirling against his rough skin. He had forgotten how good it felt to fly. To be free. To finally be more beast than man again.

He dived down into the ravine surrounding the castle skimming over the dark water and shot back up again. He flew over the gate and slowed to a stop over the great hall. The treasures were still piled high but the white dragon didn't rest upon her golden bed.

He glided to the tallest tower, where he should have gone first, and peered through the window. The dragon was curled up on the floor covered in blood. He could see where she had scratched at her scales prying them off and rubbed her skin raw against the stone walls. He had seen cursed dragons do this before. Trying to rid themselves of the wretched beast, but it was of no avail.

He tapped at the glass ceiling above her and growled out desperately, _Drakaina! _

The glass rattled but the dragon inside didn't stir. The black dragon swooped down to the foot of the tower and shifted back into human form.

"Clarke! Clarke!" Bellamy called out, his voice thick with smoke, and he rushed up the stairs. When he reached the top, he had to shield his eyes as dawn crept through the roof. Again, the sun bathed her in golden light, turning the dragon back into a princess.

Bellamy scooped her up in his arms and carried her over to the bed. Her lace gown was torn to shreds and blood matted in her hair and mingled with the tear streaks down her face. Her breath was shallow and Bellamy placed a hand to her chest feeling for the slow rise and fall. It was so, so faint.

"Come on, Princess. Don't give up on me. I'm here, Clarke. Wake up! Please, wake up," Bellamy sobbed and cradled her face between his hands.

Moments passed and Clarke remained the same. Unmoving and damaged. Bellamy cried into her chest as hot, fat drops of his tears rolled onto the soft lace of her gown and seeped down into her skin over her heart.

_The weakest spot of the dragon-cursed filled with the tears of the dragon-born. _

"And true love's first kiss," Bellamy pulled back watching his tears heal her broken body. He let go of her face and lay her down among the downy feathers and silk. Then he carefully pressed his lips together placing a kiss on her mouth. He closed his eyes willing whatever magic flowed through his veins to save her. He pressed another kiss to her lips, then her forehead, over her heart and on every scratch, she had made as a dragon.

"I love you, Clarke."

Bellamy sat back against the bedpost and closed his eyes after nothing happened. He was too late to save her. Maybe he wasn't enough. Maybe he wasn't her true love. He sunk his hands through his curls and pulled at them in agony.

"Oh…oh, you're really here," Clarke's voice whispered behind him and he felt her fingers brush his curls.

"I'm here, Princess," he said standing up and pulling her into his arms. The claw marks were fading from her skin and he could feel her dragon heartstrings calling to him, _Drakon? _she called out.

_Drakaina, _he answered her. A sense of relief rushed over them both at the realization she could call up the dragon within her at will now. The curse was broken.

Bellamy nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck feeling the warmth of her skin against his lips and his hands splayed across the small of her back holding her tightly. He smiled when she spoke.

"I love you, too, Bellamy."

_Once upon a time, there was a knight who was more of a beast than he was a man. He lived on the cliffs by the sea. And one day he met a dragon princess who was more of a woman than she was a beast. She lived in the highest room of the tallest tower. _

_He rescued her from her solitude and then from an evil monarch of a desolate kingdom. _

_When the knight returned to his seaside home, where there were hidden caves among his cliffs, he didn't keep his secret there anymore. The ever-present fog collected above the bluffs hiding the sea from view, but the wings of dragons could still be seen, and the waves crashed loudly against the rocks but they didn't mute the roars of the dragons beyond._

_The knight didn't live completely alone though. The dragon princess returned home with him. They used the cliffs and the caves to dive and to hide their treasures. He taught her to use her head to live off the land and she taught him to love with his whole fiery heart. _

_They went to sleep with the lull of crashing waves and rose to the sounds of seagulls cawing. Always wrapped in each other's embrace tangled up in the warm onyx and marble scales. _

_And the knight and his princess lived happily ever after. _

**The End. **


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